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Dimapur, June 23 (EMN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has accused the state’s Social Welfare department of flouting the Centre’s guidelines and Supreme Court’s directive in regard to procurement of Supplementary Nutritional Programme (SNP) under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) flagship scheme.
In a press release, the forum alleged that Social Welfare department had unilaterally and arbitrarily allowed the contractors to “supply unhealthy and unhygienic food items” as well as violate central vigilance commission (CVC) guidelines by “illegally renewing contract of the suppliers after expiry of contract term, without calling for legitimate e-tendering”.
While seeking to know the reasons for defying the directives of the Central government and the apex court, the NPRAAF also demanded the department to make public the number of beneficiaries in different categories -- severely malnourished children, pregnant and lactating women -- under ICDS scheme and the break-up of district-wise fund allocation for the financial years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
“NPRAAF also demands to know if the categories of beneficiaries enlisted by the department has the certification or authentication by respective Deputy Commissioner or by any nodal officer,” read the press release.
The forum warned that it will initiate appropriate legal and democratic action if the department fails to address the issue within 20 days, and that it won’t be held responsible if the Centre imposes fund embargo on the department.
“NPRAAF will soon come out with more shocking and sensational revelation of the department misuse of public fund with corroborated evidence,” it added.
The forum stated that it had to reiterate its stance as the Social Welfare department had failed to take any visible steps to address the issues highlighted at its joint meeting in 2021 even after one year, despite assuring to take all necessary measures and to follow the Centre’s guidelines and Supreme Court’s directive in toto.
It was informed that the Social Welfare department had convened the joint meeting last year after the NPRAAF submitted a representation seeking to know the details about the implementation of supplementary nutritional programme in the state.